Of Christmas Carnivals and Other Things
by Lur27
Summary: Castle drags Beckett to a police Christmas Carnival and from there on things start changing between them. Tiny "Cuffed" spoiler.
1. The perfect bribery

**A/N: Okay, everyone. First of all I just wanted to say that english is not my first language and I don't have a beta reader, so there are going to be a lot of mistakes. I'm really sorry for that. I can assure you I'm trying to do my best here.  
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**Second of all, this is my first fanfic EVER so, please, try to be kind. I'd love to read anything you have to say about the story and my writing. I'm hear to learn :) Thanks for your time and I hope you enjoy this.**

**This is just the first chapter for this story, I'm going to try posting one everyday. I'm not promising anything but I'll try. Hard.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle, obviously, but I wish I did.  
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><p>Castle was completely pissed off. He had been waiting for that carnival since the boys told him the 12th was going to host it. They rotated among every station in the city and, this year, was the Twelfth Precinct's turn to host the Police Christmas Carnival and the Police Christmas Charity Ball. Gates was delighted. Actually, she was in such a good mood that she had no objection when Castle asked if he could take part on the games with the other detectives. He was so excited. But all the plans he had made were blown away now.<p>

Rick spent days trying to convince Beckett to compete with him on the games but he only got no for an answer. She kept saying that she didn't want to spend a day wallowing in the dirt and running around for nothing more than giving him that satisfaction. She had better things to do. Of course.

Tired of negatives, Castle begun the hunt for a new partner (just for the games, obviously). He probed a couple of detectives, a rookie, who almost fainted when she realized who he was and another uniform he had met on a couple of crime scenes. None of them seemed good enough to replace Beckett. When he had lost all hopes on finding anyone, officer Velazquez crossed the room right before his eyes. She was tall, she was strong and, for what he had heard about her, she was fast running after suspects. She was not Beckett but she would do. After a little pleading and giving her his best puppy eyes, Velazquez agreed to be his partner.

Little did he know that a week before the carnival Velazquez would have a 30 pounds decorative rock thrown to her head.

So now, here he was, in front of Beckett's apartment door trying to think of a way to make her change her mind about the carnival. This wasn't going to be pleasant ride...

Kate Beckett was lying on her yoga mat, relaxing after a very intense session. She loved staying there for a while waiting until her breathing was regular again. She was about to get up when she heard something coming from outside her door. Getting up as silently as she could she reached for her gun, which was lying on the coffee table, and approached the door. When she saw Castle through the peephole she had to fight a nervous laugh. How did she become such a paranoid? Yeah, well, no need to answer that.

She stood there for a while waiting for Castle to knock on the door but he didn't. She opened the door to find her annoying partner looking like a child who'd just discovered that Santa wasn't real.

"Hey, Castle. You know you have to actually knock on the door so I know you're there, right?" She said, giving him a sarcastic smile.

"Well, it seems I don't really need to anymore. When did you start reading minds?" He looked up to see her still flushed face. He didn't seem surprised that she had found him there.

"I'm not a psychic, Castle and you're not a silent visitor, either" Kate replied with a soft laugh. "To what do I owe the honor of your visit?" She asked waving her hand to make him come in.

"Velazquez is on leave. She broke her arms. Both." He said.

" Yeah, I heard. Poor girl."

"It's crazy, right? Who stops a 30 pounds rock with her wrists? It's stupid!" He said indignant.

"Yes Castle, it would have been much smarter if she had let it hit her head." Beckett retorted. "So I suspect this visit has something to do with that stupid carnival of yours? 'Cause I told you I'm not going, Castle." She turned around and went to sit on the couch raising her feet to one side.

He looked at her intently from his spot right next to the door. He hadn't move since he came in. He had to find the way to make her go and take part on the games with him, but how? Something flicked on his mind. He remembered she had been talking about a piece of furniture she had at her dad's. She couldn't use her car, too small, and had been probing Castle to see if he would help her bring it on his SUV. Folding the back sits forward there was enough room for it, she had said. Could that be a good enough bribe?

"Come on, Becks. You know you want to do it. It's going to be fun!" He tried.

"No, Castle. I've told you a million times that I don't wanna do it. Why do you keep asking? Can't you take a no for an answer?" She was so tired of that conversation. "And don't call me Becks."

"You know damn well I can't. But that's not the thing. It's a charity event, Beckett. We're supposed to be there to get money for the Children's Hospital. I didn't know you were so selfish." That was dangerous and he knew it.

"That's low even for you, Castle." She gave him a killer stare. "Look, I know it's for a good cause but I do not want to go. Is that so difficult for you to understand?"

"Ok, what if I offer you something?" He asked putting on his most charming look.

_-Oh,__not__that__look-_she thought. Why did he had to do that to her? She hated it when he used his charms against her. So not fair. She arched an eyebrow and asked "What do you have, writer boy?"

"It's not much but, if you agree to come with me to that stupid carnival, as you call it, I'll help you move that bureau you've been wanting to bring from your dad's." He was looking at her with those blue puppy dog eyes of his and then added "And I'll buy you lunch for a month"

"You already buy me lunch everyday, Castle" And it was true, if it wasn't because he remembered they had to eat she would spend all day on a bear claw and a dozen coffees. "But I like your first offer. Anyway, that is no enough for me to do such an effort so I'll have to think about something else. Something big and very unpleasant for you. Just how you deserve." She told him with a satisfied smirk.

"Does that mean you're going to do it? You're going to come?" His face had lit like a Christmas tree, excitement pouring out of his body.

"Yes, Castle. I'll do it. But don't get too excited, you'll have to pay back and it's gonna cost you." She said. She was starting to get a little infected by his excitement. Maybe it was not so bad, maybe they'd have fun.

He stepped closer to where she was sitting on the couch and lifted her to a crushing hug. "Oh, Beckett, that's so great! It's going to be a fantastic day, you won't regret it."

"Ok, big kid. Put me down. NOW!" She couldn't believe he was so excited about such a stupid thing. It was just a carnival, the same boring games, the same sideshows and the same people as every year. She had been avoiding it for 5 years now and she hated the idea of going back, but she couldn't deny him anything, could she? Stupid Velazquez. Who tried to stop a 30 pounds rock with her wrists? "I don't understand why such a fuss about a simple carnival, Castle."

"Well, I've never been to one." He answered honestly.

"What? Never? Not even as a kid?" She couldn't believe that Castle, of all people in this world, had never been to a Christmas carnival.

"Nope. I've told you my childhood was not the typical thing, Kate. I've been to a couple of them with Alexis but I was the adult there. I had to take care of her and her friends. This won't be the same. I'll be the one having fun." The grin on his face made her smile too.

Well, it was done. She had no way out now. It seemed that that three-legged race they talked about not so long ago was finally going to happen in the space of a week.

TBC.


	2. The Bet

**THE BET**

The morning of December 14th was long and boring. No body equaled no case, which meant they were stuck at the precinct doing paperwork. And though it was boring as hell, Kate was really thankful for not having to be out on the cold for once.

By midday most of her paperwork was done and her mind started to feel a little too bloated for being on deep concentration, even with Castle complaining about how bored he was every five minutes.

She got to disconnect from work when he got up to go to the break room for coffee and asked her if she wanted one too. -_What__ a __question, __Castle!-_ she thought. The moment he left his chair her mind started thinking about last night. She had gotten herself on a big one and now there was nothing she could do to get out of it. Actually, she was kind of excited to do this for him. The child-man who had never been to a Christmas Carnival. Also she was eager to get back the favor. What could she ask for? It had to be something he would remember for a long time. It was a tricky thing finding something to ask from him that he wasn't willing to do for her and that annoyed her. - _The__ guy __makes __getting __pay__ back __not__ fun __at __all __-_ she thought while she sunk her hand on her bowl of M & Ms

"A penny for your thoughts, detective?" He said, handing her her coffee mug with the steaming fuel.

"Oh, it's nothing, Castle. I'm just tired of doing nothing." She told him taking the mug from his hand and taking a long sip.

"That was not your tired face. More like your annoyed face. They're very different, believe me."

"You have a catalogue, Castle? That's creepy, just so you know" She told him half joking half serious.

"I'm not creepy, detective, just a very, very good observer, and like any of them I do catalogue my discoveries. They can save my life, if you know what I mean." He said with a playful grin on his face.

" Yeah, and yet you haven't figured out when to shut that big mouth of yours for your own benefit." She shot back the moment her phone started to protest on her desk. "Beckett ... You said 58th? ... Oh, ok. Yeah, we'll be there in twenty... Bye." She hung up while she wrote down the address where a new body was waiting for them. "That was Lanie, we have a new customer, gentlemen. Let's go!" And with that they left, Kate forgetting about her pay back for a while.

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><p>A few hours later they were at the morgue waiting for Lanie to give them the preliminary details on their John Doe, a huge guy with a single stab to the heart. Laine was quite impressed that someone could get such a big man in just one blow.<p>

"I don't know my friend here, but I'd feel a little embarrassed if I were this big and someone killed me with a little pocket knife." The ME said while covering the man with a white sheet.

"Lanie! You could be a little move sensitive. I don't think he would care much about the size of the weapon that killed him. Maybe he didn't see it coming." Said Beckett always trying to protect the helpless.

"Honey, the guy was almost 7 feet tall. He could see New Jersey from up there. And if yo-" Lanie stopped mid sentence.

Castle's phone started ringing with Adele's "_Rolling __in __The __Deep_". He looked at it as if it was an alien and then answered with a concerned look.

"Hi Pumpkin! Wait a sec." he covered the phone and faced the two women who were looking at him with funny faces. "It's Alexis. She chose that ringtone for her when she broke up with Ashley." And, with a shrug, he left the room to talk to his daughter.

"So, Javi's told me you're letting writer-boy drag you to the Christmas Carnival? Really? That's so unlike you, girl. Anything you wanna share with the class?" Lanie asked her with a satisfied smirk.

"No big deal Lane, I'm getting something back, you know I'm not that easy."

Lanie was looking at her with an incredulous grimace "And what is it you're asking him for?"

That was a good question and she didn't have the answer yet. "The truth is that I still don't know. It's kind of hard finding something he won't be willing to give me, you know. I could ask him to buy my a Ferrari and I'm sure I'd have one parked in front of my door tomorrow morning." Lanie nodded with a knowing smile on her face, cause she knew she was totally right. There was nothing she could think about he wouldn't give her.

"Maybe you could ask him to pay in _meat._" Lanie proposed with a laugh.

"Yeah, sure, cause that is exactly the only thing he won't be willing to do for me... Come on Lanie, let's be serious here!"

The ME was examining the vic's nails and talked without taking her eyes from the immobile hand, "Hey! It's supposed to be something to make you happy and I know _that_ would make you _a__ very __happy_ woman."

The eye-roll she gave her best friend spoke volumes without the need to put it on words. When she was about to tell her that she was absolutely right, cause, she had to be true to herself and her friend, Lanie was totally right, Castle made his appearance through the morgue door.

"What have I done now? I wasn't even here!" Rick said when he got into the room and found both women looking at him like he was a walking death.

"Nothing, Castle. We have to go back to the precinct. Lanie will call if she finds anything relevant. See you, Lane." And she turned around and walked out the door.

"You sure everything's ok?" He asked Lanie. He could swear Kate seemed something close to blushing when he got back into the morgue.

"Yeah, fine. Great. Perfect." And Laine went back to examining the body.

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><p>When they got to the precinct they found Ryan and Esposito writing some new stuff on the crime board. They seemed tired after a long day. The afternoon had been kind of busy and none of them had had time to have lunch.<p>

The four of them were arguing about he evidences when Gates' office's door opened and she called "Beckett! You and your team in my office. Now!"

"You guys do anything without reporting her? You know we have to call in all our moves now." Beckett said, getting up from the corner of the desk she was sitting on.

"We haven't done anything! It's the two of you who get in trouble all the time, not us." Retorted an offended Esposito.

"We're about to find out, guys. Shush!" said Ryan before he opened the door.

"You wanted to see us, sir?" A very confused Beckett asked.

Gates took her time to talk back. She was reading some papers she had over her desk. She moved her eyes up to take a look at the 4 people before her. "Yes, detective. I wanted to let you know that your team will be on duty on Christmas Eve." She paused when she noticed the twitching faces of her detectives. "There is a problem, though." She looked intently at Beckett. "We're hosting the Police Christmas Charity Ball this year and a lot of important people will be there, including the Mayor." She made a pause to look at Castle. "Your team, detective Beckett is the best I have at homicides and it would be shame not having any of you there, so, this is the deal: two of you are working on Christmas Eve and two of you are going to the Ball. I don't care who does what, I just want you to sort it out and do what you have to do." And she went back to reading her papers.

They were all kind of confused trading looks among them and trying to digest what Gates had just told them when she spoke again. "That was all, detectives. And... Castle."

They got out of the office and went to the crime-board. All four of them leaned on Beckett's desk and stared at the board as if it had all the answers they needed, non of them talking. After a while Castle stood up and left to the break room followed by Ryan and Esposito.

"Wow, bro! I already had the tickets for the ball. Lanie said she would come with me. Do you know what it took to make her accept?" Esposito said.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, man. I had mine too. Jenny was so excited about coming. Our last big ball before the wedding... She's gonna kill me." Ryan said while filled his coffee cup.

Castle was already sipping on his espresso when he talked back "Too bad we get to decide who goes and who doesn't. That's going to be tricky. I heard Beckett tell Laine about the gorgeous dress she got for the Christmas Ball like a month ago." And he didn't want to miss that gorgeous dress on Beckett.

"Hey, I have an idea. How about a bet? The team winning more games at the carnival gets to go to the Ball." Esposito proposed.

"That is a wonderful idea, my friend! With Beckett on my team, you guys are lost. I'm all in." Rick said, putting his had out to seal the bet.

"Okay, bro. It's a bet. Get ready to get your butt kicked." The cop said putting his hand over Castle's.

"Yeah, cause we're gonna kick your butts, man" said Ryan putting his hand on top of theirs.

"Oh, yeah. Well, you guys better get ready to spend Christmas Eve sharing a coffee right were we are right now." Castle said turning around to go give Beckett her coffee.

The two cops passed him over and Esposito turned around to say "Yeah, like you're going to be alive for the carnival when Beckett finds out about this."

Castle swallowed hard and stood pinned to the floor looking at Beckett, who was checking the murder board oblivious to everything that had taken part in that room. Oh, man, he was so dead.

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><p><strong>Please review, you'll make my day :)<strong>

**A/N:** I wanted to say a big Thank You to all the people who has subscribed to, favorited and reviewed my story. This is a big push to keep on trying. I hope you all guys stay with me till the end of my first time :)


	3. The Threat

**A/N:** Okay, this one's a little bit longer and I swear it had life on it's own. I don't know if I got to capture everything I wanted to tell on this chapter. I'm not really satisfied with it. Still I think it's good enough to put in hear for you to read, so I hope you enjoy.

Thanks to all of you reading this, putting it on alert, favouriting and on and on. I'm having a blast doing this and you make it even better :)

**THE THREAT**

The couple of hours that passed since the seal of their bet until they agreed to call it a night were, let's say, tense. Castle was worried the boys would tell Beckett about it so, he tried to be around them listening to all they said, just in case something slipped out. He had to find the way to tell her himself, a way where he could get to live past that week.

That night, Richard Castle had a very disturbing dream involving ropes, a blinding mask, ice cubes, something sharp and a very angry Kate Beckett.

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><p>Next morning by 8:30, Castle was handing Beckett her coffee right in front of the ME's office entrance. They were meeting Lanie. She had called the detective the night before to tell her she had finished performing the autopsy on their victim and that they could pick up her report in the morning. They got into the building in silence.<p>

"Everything ok, Castle? You've been suspiciously quiet since yesterday evening." She said narrowing her eyes when she stopped walking and turned to look at him.

"Yeah, ok. I'm having an introspective moment, that's all." He smiled at her pointing forwards with his eyes to make her walk again.

She didn't believe him for a single second but she was not going to push. He would talk when he was ready, this was Castle, after all.

They got to Lanie's office and knocked. Just when the ME was telling them to come in, Rick's phone came to life startling both of them. He excused himself and took the call while Beckett went inside to talk to Lanie.

"Morning Lane, what do you have for me?" Kate greeted her friend.

"Morning. Where's Writer-boy? Have you finally killed him?" Lanie joked.

"He's outside. He got a phone call. Did you talk to Espo last night?" she asked.

Lanie looked at her knowing what she meant. "Yeah, he told me. It's awful! Do you know what I had to put up with until I said yes to Javi? He spent two weeks asking. Every hour! I still have like 200 texts to prove it. I just hope he's not the one working that night. I spent more than I should have on that dress, he better gets to take it off me, if you know what I mean..."

"That wasn't very subtle for me not to know what you meant, Lane" Kate laughed. "Anyway, I was planning something for that night too, you know. It was going to be _it_. I was going to tell him." Kate said, pointing at the piece of wood that kept Castle outside the room with her big hazel eyes.

Lanie looked at Kate like she had seen a ghost, eyes wide-open, eyebrows almost touching her hairline. "YOU WHAT?" Lanie couldn't believe Kate had dropped such a bomb like she was talking about the weather.

"Shush, Lanie! He's out there!" Kate rushed to tell her pointing towards the door.

"You what?" She asked again almost whispering now.

"Well, my therapist told me I should start moving forward, baby steps, do something I really want to do with him, so I thought about the Ball. Then I started braving up and I thought that maybe it was time to let him in. I'm so tired of fighting him, Lanie... It's exhausting. " She stopped for a minute to collect her thoughts.

"Wow, Kate! That's... great. It was about time, girl. That man's crazy about you." She paused. "I don't know if should tell you this but, that day, at the cemetery. He was broken, Kate, so lost. I heard him say something to yo-"

"I heard him too." Kate pursed her lips together putting on a shy face and looking at her friend through her thick eyelashes. She was so ashamed she had been hiding that from her and of course, from Castle. It had been too much to bear at once.

"You knew? You heard him say _I __love__ you_ and you just let it go? Like it never happened?" Lanie was giving her the most disappointed look she had ever gotten.

"I know. It was not the best thing to do. I was not on my best either, Lanie. I needed to put things in order. I needed to have my old life back before starting a new one. I just told him I didn't remember anything. It's complicated." She didn't know how to explain herself. It just seemed like the best thing to do back then.

"Ok, ok. That's not the thing right now." Her friend said, knowing Kate was feeling guilty enough without her best friend judging her. "So, you are planning on telling him you remember? And you think he'll take it right? Cause I don't know your writer-boy here, but if it were me, you'd be in a hell of a trouble, missy. "

"Well, that's what I'll have to find out. If we get to go to that Ball." She was terrified Rick would walk away the moment she told him. She wanted that night, that special moment with him first, just in case that'd be the last moment they had. She had imagined it all, they dancing, taking Champaign and maybe sharing a shy first kiss under the mistletoe.

Lanie spoke again dragging her out of her daydreaming. "Well, there'll be more occasions, honey. If it's not that night, there'll be others."

"Yeah, but it won't be the same." Kate said going back to her little dream.

Castle hung up his phone and was about to open the door to Lanie's office when he heard something and couldn't help himself to overhear. Or stay to listen.

"You know the dress I bought for the Ball? I bought it because of him. He always compliments me when I wear that color. It'll be a shame if he never get's to see it."

So Kate had bought that dress to impress someone? He didn't know she wanted to impress anyone. He kept overhearing, or, to be more accurate, spying on his partner and her friend.

"It was supposed to be my fun and romantic night, not a sleepover at the precinct with Castle."

And suddenly he couldn't discern what she was saying, she sounded kind of muffled now, like she had moved to the other side of the room.

So Kate was planning a romantic night with someone? When did that happen? And who the heck was that guy he didn't even know about? He felt betrayed. He thought they had a deal. He thought those words she said months ago at the swings were meant for him. He was the one who had to wreck that wall and not some unknown guy she didn't even talk about. There was no way Kate was going anywhere with whoever he was. He was going to make sure none of them went to that Ball. It was as simple as loosing a bet.

And with that he opened the door and got into the office to get the details about the autopsy of the huge guy.

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><p>Back at the precinct and with Lanie's report on their hands, they were checking all the evidences they had at the moment. It turned out the pocketknife had killed the guy but right after he had been drugged with enough sleep pills to knock down a baby T-Rex - those were the exact words Lanie had used when she was telling them about her findings so now, Castle was referring to their vic as The Dino-man, which got him a hard poke on the ribs from certain detective -.<p>

Ryan and Esposito had gone back to their desks trying to find some new information that would lead them to a suspect. Castle was watching Beckett while she dismissed a witness she had been interviewing alone. He hadn't wanted to go in. He needed to think. He couldn't let Kate know about the bet, not when he wanted to loose it. He had to come to terms with the boys, maybe tell them Kate agreed to stay working that night so they could go to the party, just because she was that great. Yeah, like they were going to believe that.

Kate finished talking with their witness and walked to the rest room to get a cup of coffee and try to relax a little bit. Castle had been acting weird all day and she had no clue why. That made her feel anxious. Was he hiding anything from her? Was he in any kind of trouble? And why wouldn't he tell her about it? He always told her about everything, even the things she didn't want to or needed to know. – _Now__ look __at__ you,__ Kate_ – she thought – _all __hurt __cause __he__'__s __not __talking __to __you __when __you__'__ve__ been __keeping __such __a __big __secret __from __him.__You __big __hypocrite_. –

She let out a little yelp when he got into the room unexpectedly and talked to her. "Hey, you ok?"

"Yeah, you surprised me, that's all" she said with a smile. "We're kind of walking in circles on this case. Mrs. Hollis wasn't of much help. She just saw the vic drop dead in front of her with the knife on his chest... I just hope we find something anytime soon." She was staring at the murder board; maybe she would see something she hadn't seen before from there. Stupid, yes.

"So, what do you think we should do about Christmas Eve? You really interested on that Ball? I mean, it's not such a big deal, just a bunch of cops and some _important_ people getting wasted while giving money to charity. Been to one, been to all of them. " He had put his plan into action, make Beckett forget about the Ball. Maybe if he could make her see it was a waste of time, she'd decide to call off her date with whomever and stay there, with him.

"Does that mean you don't want to go? Mr. Party Time doesn't want to party? Oh my! You're getting old, Castle." Kate tried to hide her disappointment with a witty retort. Wow! She didn't see that coming. Castle didn't want to go to the ball?

"Ha, ha, very funny. I just think that there are other ways to party. A police Ball is not one of my favorites. You know I like to go wild." He said with a funny grin on his face. _He __looks __so __cute __right __now_ – she thought.

"Yeah, you're like the prehistoric male Paris Hilton. Anyway, I wouldn't mind to go, in fact I had plans for that night. But well, that doesn't depend on us, does it? We'll have to draw lots or something." She said while she walked towards her desk to keep working.

They kept doing their thing, Ryan and Esposito checking new evidence, Beckett making some calls to the lab to see if they had managed to get any useful prints or whatever from the scene and Castle playing Angry Birds. Everything was going just fine until the worst happened.

Castle had no idea but Esposito had made the bet extent to the full bullpen so now every detective, uniform and basically any living being working there was taking part on it. And he found out the worst way possible.

Beckett had hung up the phone and was briefing the boys about something on the papers on the desk, when Peterson, a rookie who had been transferred a couple of months ago, stepped close to her and said "Hey Beckett, I just put 20 on you two. There's no way Esposito and Ryan can beat you and Castle. You're winning 40 to 23." And he walked away.

She turned around slowly directing her killer glare to all three men in front of her. Espo and Ryan looked at each other and vanished in a millisecond. Now her glare was directed exclusively to Castle "Spit" she barked and dragged him to the break room grabbing him by his ear.

"Aw, aw, aw, aw, aw!" Castle started praying all he knew in his mind and then talked. "We... well... maybe we... we kinda made a bet to decide who would have to work on Christmas Eve. And I... maybe I... I could have included you on that bet." Where were words when he most needed them?

Oh, she was mad now. How could he do that? And yet again, why was she so surprised? "And, what in the world is that bet about, Castle?" She asked with a tone that gave him goosebumps.

"We bet that the couple winning more games at the carnival get's to go to the Ball." His voice was low and he started to feel like a little boy who's been caught playing a horrible prank.

"What?" She was furious. "How can you be such a selfish jerk? You knew I didn't want to go to that stupid carnival and yet, I still don't know how, you convinced me to go. And now it turns out that you've been playing behind my back just because you don't want to go to the Ball. Cause that was your plan, right? Loosing the bet so you didn't have to show up." She could slap him right now. She could shoot him right now, for God's shake. But revenge was so much better than that. "Well, you know what, Castle, this is what's going to happen" She walked towards him cornering him against the counter, crowding and pocking him with her finger. "We're going to win that bet, we're going to beat those two and you're coming to that Ball." She grabbed his ear again "You better don't play with me writer-boy, you OWE me that. You're gonna work your butt out and we're going to win that bet because if I miss that Ball, if you don't come with me to that Ball, I'll give you the most horrible of deaths. And I'm a cop, Castle, I won't make mistakes." And with that she left the room and left him standing there, rubbing his ear and looking completely horrified.

TBC

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><p><strong>Please, review! I need to know what you guys think :)<strong>

**A/N: **Hey there! I was supposed to post Chapter 4 today but I'm going through a nasty cold right now and I couldn't bring myself to write. I'm sure I'll feel much better tomorrow after I sleep and get ride of this horrible headache and I'll surely finish that chapter. Sorry I'm making you wait and thanks for keep reading :)


	4. Making Up to KB

**A/N: **Ok, I'm sorry for the delay but yesterday I was feeling awful. I've had so much fun writing this chapter! It's kind of a lot of fluff mixed with a case. I just hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it. ENJOY!

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><p><strong>MAKING UP TO K.B.<strong>

Richard Castle couldn't believe his bad luck. Only four days until the carnival and he had managed to ruin everything with Beckett. Yes, she was coming and yes, she was taking part on the games with him but, it would be a million times easier and funnier if she as much as talked to him.

After a horrible sleepless night and a billion discarded ideas he had come up with a plan. He knew it was going to be difficult talking Beckett out of her anger, that never worked with her so, he had to get into action and show her how sorry he was. He had four days to make her be nice to him again and he had to make them count.

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><p>When Castle arrived at the bullpen that morning Beckett was nowhere to be seen. Her coat was hanging from her chair and her messenger bag was resting against the drawers at the feet of her desk, which meant she was there, but where? Not a problem, he thought, much better this way.<p>

He approached the desk and left there a cup of coffee with a little Christmas card on top of it and then sat on his chair waiting for her. He drank his own coffee in silence, looking around once in a while to see if she was coming.

After a good 15 minutes Kate came back to her desk to find Castle playing with his phone. He was completely distracted with his game and she took the time to look at him for a while. He looked tired, dark circles under his eyes, they made him look older, but still he was handsome and appealing. He cursed some unintelligible words after, she was sure, missing a shot on Angry Birds. – _Aw, __so__ cute, __my __man-child_- Cause, yes, he was hers. She wasn't even angry anymore, but she couldn't let him know that. He had been a selfish jerk and had in some way betrayed her trust so she wanted to be tough with him. Show him that if he messed up, there were consequences. It was going to be hard, though. She had just made up her mind, she wanted to be with him, she wanted to give it a try and just when she was going to jump into it, he had grabbed her arm to stop her.

Anyway, they were going to win that stupid bet, she was sure about it. Ryan and Esposito had nothing to do against them, that was for sure. They were going to the Ball and he was going to see that beautiful dress she bought just for him. Everything was going to be ok. She was going to tell him she remembered and then... And then who knew what was going to happen. She shivered.

When she snapped out of her thoughts she found Castle looking at her with a concerned look. She just ignored him and walked towards her desk. There was a big cup of coffee with a little Christmas card on top of it. It had a picture of a Christmas tree decorated with candles and red ribbons and there was something written under it - **_Christmas is the time to give and forgive _**-. _Very __appropriate, __Castle,_ she thought. She took it and opened it to read inside. It only said – **_I__'__m__ sorry_** -. Her heart flinched and she wanted to give him a hug and tell him it was ok but instead, she tossed the card aside and took a big gulp of coffee without even looking at him. She didn't know if she was punishing him or herself. The sad look he gave her made her heart fall to her feet.

"Move it, Castle. We've identified the victim and we're meeting Espo and Ryan at his place." She said with her most neutral tone. She didn't want to sound angry but not friendly either.

He got up, grabbed his coat and followed her while he asked her "So, who is our Dino-man?"

Beckett rolled her eyes trying to ignore the comment and briefed him on what she knew. "His name is Adam Ruffalo a.k.a. Hulk –"

"HULK? That's even better than Dino-man!" he interrupted.

"Shut up and listen, Castle. Ruffalo was 36 years old, single and worked as a goon for Marcus Lipmann, the owner of half of the strip clubs in the city."

"Strip clubs, huh? This case is getting more interesting by the minute." he said raising his eyebrows in an excited look.

* * *

><p>Kate drove them to Ruffalo's apartment. They were both silent, thinking about what was going on between them.<p>

Castle was feeling awful. It was like they had traveled back in time and he was living their first year together all over again. Beckett was mad at him, she was grumpy, she avoided eye contact and she snapped at him whenever he opened his mouth to speak. That was going to be a long day.

When they arrived to the apartment building, Ryan and Esposito were waiting for them at the door. They told them they had searched the apartment but they found nothing that tied the vic to the place they had found him in. The owners of said apartment were out of the city as they had been told and no one in the building had seen Ruffalo around there before.

"Okay, have you interviewed his neighbors?" Asked Beckett.

"No, we're doing that now but, Ryan talked to this guy he knows and he's found out that Lipmann is running a covert pawnbroker business and he heard that Ruffalo had been involved on some dubious accidents." Esposito told them.

"Yeah, he says he's seen some of the people Ruffalo's made 'business' with, and they didn't look really well..." Ryan added.

"Hmm, maybe we can scratch something there. You guys talk to Rufallo's neighbors and we'll pay a visit to Lipmann."

The visit to Lipmann was fruitless as was interviewing Ruffalo's neighbors. They had found nothing. The neighbors didn't know anything about the man. He had been living there for 6 months and no one even knew his name. Lipmann knew a lot of things but he was not going to collaborate, he managed to get rid of them that evening, but he didn't know he was dealing with Kate Beckett. She would talk to him one way or another.

After discussing the little they had found out that day and taking a look at the murder board they all left the precinct.

* * *

><p>When he got home Castle started the second part of his plan. He called Alexis and convinced his girl to bake gingerbread men with him. He didn't tell her this was part of his plan to make Beckett forgive him, she didn't need to know that. He just enjoyed the time baking with one of his favorites redheads.<p>

* * *

><p>Rick got into the bullpen to find Beckett typing on her computer like her life depended on it. She was absorbed in it and he found her 'concentration face' more than gorgeous. After staring for a little while he approached her, cleared his throat to make her look at him and handed her a coffee cup and a little cellophane bag with two gingerbread men on it.<p>

"Alexis and I baked them last night." He said, trying to look the most innocent he could.

Beckett tried to pull out her best poker face. It was hard not to smile at that. She was touched by the gesture, so sweet of him. "Oh, thanks, Castle." Was all she could say without giving away her feelings.

Not what he expected but at least she had thanked him. That was better than yesterday's reaction, he thought.

The day went on without big news. They had tried to talk to Lipmann again but he always managed to get rid of them at the last minute and there was nothing about the Minnottis , the couple living at the apartment where Ruffalo was killed. Another fruitless day of work went by for the 12th precinct detectives.

* * *

><p>The third morning after the 'Bet-gate', as Castle called it, he left on Beckett's desk a little package and her cup of coffee. He looked around and found her. She was at Gates' office informing the Captain about their case.<p>

When he saw she was coming out, he went to the break room, so he could see her reaction from there.

Kate got to her desk to find her coffee and a little brown package. She looked around to see where Castle was but she couldn't locate him. She opened the package and found three Christmas candy canes tied up with a green ribbon and a note. She opened the folded paper and read: _**The **_**_candy __is __to __wish __you __a__ sweet __day, __the __green __ribbon __is __to __show __you __I __still __have __hope_**. She couldn't repress the smile that formed on her face. This was the sweetest man ever. How was she supposed to keep her 'angry face' now?

"Hey, detective. Did you like it?" Castle asked, startling her so much she fell on her chair moving it backwards a couple of feet.

With her heart on her throat after the scare, and using her feet to move the chair back close to the desk, she looked at him and said "Yes, thank you, Castle. But next time, don't try to kill me after, ok?"

"Yeah, sorry for that. I didn't mean to scare you." He wanted to sound concerned, but he couldn't hide the joy we was feeling after seeing her smile when she opened his present. And the way she had startled when he talked to her was kind of funny.

Right in that moment Ryan came to them and told them the Minnottis were back home and they were going to bring them to the precinct to interview them.

When they arrived, Beckett and Castle talked to the couple. They seemed completely surprised about what had happened. None of them knew Ruffalo and they had no idea what was the man doing at their apartment when he was killed. Beckett didn't believe them. Something was telling her those two had something to do with the murder and she was going to find out.

The rest of the day passed without more incidents. That night, Beckett gave him a smile and wished him a good night before parting ways at the precinct's lobby. His plan was going great!

* * *

><p>Kate Beckett got up of bed and went through her morning routine before opening her door to get the paper. When she crouched to pick it up she saw a white box sitting on top of it. It had a bow on top and a card that said: <em>Open<em>_it.__R.C._She picked it up along with the paper and went back inside. She sat at the dinning table and looked at the box curiously. She opened it to find a snowball. It had a bucolic landscape on it. A little cabin surrounded by hills and pine-trees. The snow was made of tiny glitter snowflakes that shined like little stars when she stirred it. It had a bronze base with an engraving that said: **_Have __yourself __a __merry __little _**_**Christmas**._ It was beautiful.

That was it. She couldn't keep trying to be mad at him. He was way too sweet and all these gifts he had been giving her showed her he was really sorry. She would talk to him and tell him she had forgiven him, today.

Kate was about to enter the precinct doors when she got a text from Castle. He had a meeting at Black Pawn and he couldn't make it to the precinct. He would see her next day at the carnival. – _Really?_ – She thought – _It__ had __to __be __today...?_ –

At least when she got to the bullpen she had good news waiting for her. Ryan and Esposito had been talking to people at Lipmann's clubs and some of them had recognized Arnold Minnotti. A guy told them that Minnotti had a big debt with Lipmann and he couldn't pay. There they had their connection.

Beckett got a confession out of Minnotti in 15 minutes. The guy was a mess. He and his wife Michelle had been out visiting her family in Boston and when they came back, he was told Lipmann was sending Ruffalo to his place to get back his money, so he had traced a plan with his wife. When Ruffalo arrived to 'talk' to Minnotti, his wife told him he wasn't home and offered him a drink stuffed with a bottle of sleeping pills. When Ruffalo started feeling weird he realized what was going on and tried to attack Michelle, so Arnold got out of his hideout and stabbed him with his pocketknife. The couple run out of there and left to Boston again. Ruffalo had tried to follow them but when he crossed the threshold he dropped dead, right when Mrs. Hollis was getting out of her apartment with her laundry bag in hand. Case Solved. It was a pity Castle had missed that.

After finishing with her paperwork, briefing Gates and saying goodnight to the boys, Beckett left the precinct, her mind on the carnival she was going to next day.

* * *

><p>Beckett arrived to her apartment door to find another white box waiting for her on her doormat. She took it and walked inside to open it. Sitting on the couch she opened the box and found a card and a smaller box inside. The card said:<p>

**_Dear Kate,_**

**_This gift you have in your hands is the last of my peace offerings. A symbol of us finding our rhythm, working together and walking forwards again. _**

**_Until tomorrow, detective._**

_**R.C**._

When Kate opened the smaller box she found a pair of plastic toy handcuffs and a little stuffed tiger. She couldn't stop smiling the rest of the night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **In my country green is the colour for hope. I don't know if it's the same for the USA or the rest of the world, it all depends on cultures.

**Please review and let me know what you expect to happen next. I already have my ideas but I'd love to know yours** **:)**


	5. And The Winners Are

**A/N:**Hello everyone! I know I should have posted chapter 5 two days ago but I had a little family crisis – with a visit to the hospital included-. Everything's good now :) (More or less).

Sorry if there are more typos than ever. It's 2:20 am and I have to get up super early to go back to the hospital to stay with my gram, so please, be kind and foresee them, just for this once?

**DISCLAIMER:**It's been a while since I wrote one. Just making sure none of you think I'm lucky enough to own anything related with any kind of Castle. So no, people. Not mine :(

**AND THE WINNERS ARE...**

The morning of December 20th was sunny but chilling. Kate was a morning person and she got out of bed the moment her eyes perceived a ray of light. She was kind of nervous because of what was awaiting for her that day and excited, because this was the day when she got to know if her dreamed night with Rick Castle would happen or not.

She took a quick shower and reached for her closet to pick up her outfit for the day. She picked a pair of jeans, a long sleeved T-shirt, a warm dark purple sweater and sneakers. If she was going to spend part of the morning running and playing games, at least she'd be comfortable. When she was about to close the door she saw the dress. A beautiful and vaporous sapphire blue dress with a halter neckline, trimmed with silver embroidery on neck and waist. She had seen it at the storefront and, the moment she put her eyes on it, she could only think about Castle. She knew he was going to love it.

Kate got dressed, did her hair and make up in record time and had her first coffee of the day. When she was ready she grabbed her coat, took a deep breath and walked out the door.

* * *

><p>It was a little before 10 am when Rick Castle arrived at the Wellington Pavilion. The place had been restored years ago and the NYPD hired it every year to celebrate their winter gatherings. When the city car pulled over at the door, he spotted a very impatient Kate Beckett. She was playing with her gloves, pulling the fingers on and off her hands and looking around every few seconds. So adorable.<p>

Rick got out of the car and walked to her with a smile on his face. "Hey, partner!" He greeted her.

"Hey! You made it." She said back with a nervous smirk.

"Well, of course, detective. This was my idea, remember?" He smiled, offering his arm. She took it without hesitation as they walked inside the pavilion.

When they crossed the front door, Christmas spirit engulfed them all of a sudden. Kate muffled a "Wow!" while Rick couldn't stop an excited "Awesome!" They were surrounded by red, white and green. There were big Christmas baubles hanging form the ceiling along with ribbons, tinsel and handmade paper snowflakes. A path delimited by huge candy canes, adorned with holly and little white and red lights, led to the center of the pavilion where a gigantic pine-tree ruled the space. There were games and bouncy castles for the kids, some food stalls, a couple of cotton candy stands, sideshows, a raffle and even a little tent where a psychic offered her services.

"NYPD has pulled the boat out this year." Said Beckett. "I had no idea our precinct had planned on going to Santa's Village and move it here." Kate wanted to sound apathetic, but she couldn't hide the excitement in her voice.

"Yeah. And they kidnapped Santa too" Said Rick pointing towards a bunch of kids crowding a chubby white bearded fellow dressed in red and white.

While they were admiring the wonderful decorations the volunteers of the 12th precinct had worked out, Ryan and Esposito approached them from behind, startling both of them.

"Yo! Look Ryan, its Murtough and Riggs!" Esposito mocked them.

Kate gave him one of her killer glares and shot back "Yeah, laugh now, girls, you'll have time to cry later." Then looked to her right spotting a known face and waving her way. "Oh, and I see you managed to bring Lanie. It's a pity this could be your last social event together. You should know she's going to kill you _when_ you loose the bet and you have to tell her she won't go to the Police Ball. Just telling you. From a friend to another..." She turned around and raised her hand to high five Castle. "Come on, partner, I could use some coffee before the _fun_ starts."

Ryan patted his partner's shoulder as they walked towards Esposito's recently recovered girlfriend while Castle and Beckett went to get their precious and warm fuel.

Castle was a little surprised with Beckett's good mood. He knew she didn't want to be there and yet she looked like she was having fun.

They had some time until they had to sign-up for the games so they tried to use it well. They played in the raffle and a few sideshows with the boys and Lanie, then had something to eat and after that Castle got some cotton candy and tried to make himself a beard because – Poor Santa there needs some help – and they all laughed.

* * *

><p>By 11:15 a voice announced the games were about to start in 15 minutes and they headed to the little stand placed on the left side of the pavilion, right next to a loop made out Styrofoam decorated like ice blocks. Next to it were six 15 ft. long alleys, separated by cones that ended on 6 cardboard made chimneys. These people had thought about everything.<p>

There were thirty couples taking part on the games so they made five groups of six. For each game, the winners of each group would compete against each other to know the over all winner. Espo and Ryan were on the second group. Beckett and Castle were on the fifth.

"Too bad we're not on the same group. It would be just wonderful being able to beat you twice on each game" Said Castle, with his best boyish smile on.

"Yeah, keep dreaming, Writer-boy. My man is going to kick your smart ass." Lanie said, giving Esposito a 'you-better-don't-make-me-wrong-if-you-don't-wanna-die' look.

Javi looked down a little between embarrassed and terrorized. He knew Lanie always fulfilled her threats.

"Okay, first group is on, let's see what we'll have to deal with." Kate said walking towards the six lanes where the Santa's sacks race was about to start.

Every game had been '_adapted_' to a Christmassy version of itself. The sack race was made with big red Santa's sacks and each couple had to get into one and jump their way to the cardboard chimney at the end of their lane.

After the first group finished it was Esposito's and Ryan's turn. They won their race no without problems. They fell once and Ryan complained about Esposito's big feet stepping over his all the time.

While they were waiting for their turn Castle was paying attention to every couple taking part on the race.

"We have to make it my way if we want to win." He said watching a couple that had just fallen down.

"Your way? You have a way?" She asked surprised. "Enlighten me, Castle."

He put that serious face he put when he was trying to lecture someone, "Every couple we've seen until now has fallen at least once and that's because they go side by side and not one behind the other." He turned to look at her. "I should go behind you so I can both control our jumps and do it more synchronized."

Kate looked at him trying to find out if he was serious or it was one of his jokes. Not a single twitch on his mouth, eyes totally fixated on hers. He was absolutely serious. "Ok" She knew she could trust him on this.

It was their turn; they took their places on Santa's sack, he on the back, she on the front. Castle circled Beckett's waist with his arms to grasp the edge of the sack and moved closer to her.

When she felt his arms around her, she turned around to look at him and found herself almost brushing her nose to his. _'__Whoa! __When __did __he __get__ there?__'_

"Aren't you a little too close, Mr. Sack-race Pro? I'm afraid you might loose your concentration" She teased him, trying to hide her surprise and the delight that caused her having him so close to her.

"Don't worry, detective. I won't. Can't be so sure about you, though." He hadn't missed her eyes, dark and dilated, staring hungrily at his lips, without her permission.

She turned around fast, trying to hide the blush invading her face. _'__Focus, __Kate, __Focus__'__._

The race started and it took them a little while to get used to the posture but when they did they gained speed quickly. Castle whispered every jump on her ear, which made Kate feel a little dizzy, but the adrenaline helped her to focus on what she was doing. As Castle predicted couples started to fall down which gave them some extra vantage and they won easily.

A few minutes later they were on for the second round, Ryan and Esposito arguing about using C & B's trick.

"I'm telling you I'm not doing that, bro! No way!" Ryan said to an annoyed Esposito, who couldn't stop looking at his girlfriend, thinking about the consequences if he lost the bet.

A ding sounded and the race started. Both couples fought for the first place until Ryan and Esposito fell to the floor and another couple took their place. Castle and Beckett won again.

"Well done! Yes!" Kate said to her partner when they reached the cardboard chimney for the second time that day.

Castle gave her his million-dollar smile, "Yeah, we make a good team."

"I'm surprised you're taking this seriously. Thanks." She really was. She had thought he would be childish about it.

"Well, I tend to take my life seriously. If you threaten me with a horrible death, that usually does the trick." He said. There was a sad look in his eyes remembering how hurt Beckett had felt.

**SCOREBOARD**

**C & B: 1 R & E: 0**

Castle and Beckett shared a smile when the judge said what game came next. It was the Three-legged race, using tinsel instead of a rope to tie the couples together. They almost made it to the second round but Castle twitched his ankle and they had to step out to get it checked. Ryan and Esposito made it to the second round but they lost to a couple of anti-vice detectives.

**SCOREBOARD**

**C & B: 1 R & E: 0**

Then came the Apple Fishing game. Each couple had a big barrel filled with water and 12 apples. With their hands tied behind their back they had to fish the apples using only their mouths. Both Castle and Beckett and Esposito and Ryan made it to the second round. Surprisingly, Ryan had big skills fishing apples with his mouth and he and Esposito won the game easily.

**SCOREBOARD**

**C & B: 1 R & E: 1**

Next game was kind of sticky and pretty much the same as the previous one. Hands tied behind their back again, they had to find 6 coins hidden on a cream cake. There were two cakes per couple, which made 12 coins in total. Although the game was really fun and the cakes were really good, none of them made it to the second round. Ryan only found 2 coins, Esposito focused on eating the cake because he couldn't find anything and he was hungry, Kate got stuck at 5 coins and Castle swallowed a nickel and almost chocked.

**SCOREBOARD**

**C & B: 1 R & E: 1**

Sticking with the cakes, the next game was a Cake Shooting contest. Each couple had 12 cakes (6 per each, they had to throw against their assigned volunteer. They got lower or higher score depending on where they hit them. Face was 50 points, torso 35, belly 30 and arms and legs 20.

Both couples made it to the last round but Ryan and Esposito won at the last cake. Beckett reached the guy's belly and Esposito hit his face.

**SCOREBOARD**

**C & B: 1 R & E: 2**

The sixth game was called Kiss the Egg. Each couple had to take 6 eggs from one nest to another, at the other end of their lane, but they couldn't use their hands. The egg had to be transported between the lips of both partners.

Ryan and Esposito made a disgust face when they heard the rules. Beckett wasn't disgusted but she the funny feeling on her stomach didn't help. Having Castle's lips at mere inches of her own was going to be torture. Rick seemed to think the same, judging by the look on his face.

"Well, Espo, ready to kiss your girlfriend, here?" Kate said moving her head slightly to point to Ryan.

"Yeah, you laugh, but if you drop that egg you won't be able to finish the race." He shot back.

She frowned and asked "Why?"

"Well, I don't think you'd be able to, with the 'leg-trembling' and all." He laughed. She gave him her trademark glare and left to find Castle.

Saying that Ryan was uncomfortable playing that game was an understatement. When their round ended they'd only had managed to carry 2 eggs. Every time Esposito tried to grab Ryan's shoulders to drive him closer so it was easier to carry the egg, he shook him off and twitched and made the egg fall.

"What's wrong Kevin, you don't like your new boyfriend? Have you talk to Jenny yet? You know, she should know this before the wedding..." Castle teased him.

"Shut up, Castle," He said looking at the writer as if he was his worst enemy.

Castle and Beckett instead had no problem with the game. They both felt a little strange but, when they got used to the closeness and the feeling of their breathing on each other's face, they ruled the game. Castle's hands were on her waist and Kate's were on his shoulder blades pressing him towards her. The most difficult part was walking without getting tangled in each other's legs. They made it to the second round and won that one too without any problem.

**SCOREBOARD**

**C & B: 2 R & E: 2**

And there it was. The last game. It was by far the most complicated of all and it would take a good physical effort. They had to move to the loop for that one. There were no groups for this one. Each couple had to do it just once and the couple with the best time would win.

Along the whole loop there were candy canes hanging from washers that hung from the ceiling. Each couple had to make the round trip of the loop giving each other a piggyback ride. The one riding in the first leg, had to collect the candy canes one by one until they had all of them. The one riding on the way back, had to put all the candy canes back on their washers.

Ryan and Esposito almost squealed at this one. The first rider was Esposito, who picked up the canes on a breakneck speed. Ryan had a little trouble hanging them back but they made the best time till then.

Castle was watching the game and was a little concerned when he talked to Kate. "I don't think we've thought this through. I'm like 2 Becketts and a half, I'll crush you before you can move a foot."

"Relax, Castle. I'm stronger than you think. We'll be fine." She said, trying to reassure him and herself at the same time. He really was big and she wasn't on her best shape lately.

It was their turn and Beckett was super fast picking up the canes, Castle almost didn't have to stop for her to take them. When they got them all it was time to change roles. "Ok, up!" Kate said. Castle let her rise him up kind of surprised when she lifted him. She moved fast and Castle was doing it really well until her surgery scar came to live and she dropped Castle and fell to her knees.

"Hey, Kate, you ok? Hey, look at me. Are you ok?" He was worried and scared she was really hurt.

"I'm fine Castle, it's just... the scar" She didn't look at him. She didn't want him to know she was ashamed of it.

They walked out of the loop to find somewhere for her to sit until the game was over. Ryan and Esposito won the game by on second over the next couple. They were plethoric but concerned about Beckett.

**SCOREBOARD**

**C & B: 2 R & E: 3  
><strong>

"Hey, you better now?" Esposito asked her.

"Yeah, just fine. Don't be so happy. If I had been able to finish, you wouldn't have won that game" She shot back giving him a playful smile.

"Yeah, sure." He said winking at her. Then he left to find Lanie to get his Victory kiss.

After the games were over they wandered around for a while, said their good byes and left.

* * *

><p>Beckett offered Castle a ride and he accepted. He looked sad and worried and hadn't talk very much since the scar incident.<p>

"Hey, Castle, you ok?" Kate asked trying to sound the most cheerful she could.

"I'm sorry. We lost the bet and now you'll miss the Ball it's all my fault." He sounded so dejected... "I know you had plans. I'm sorry I ruined your date."

Her what? Oh, Castle thought she had a date for the Ball? Where in the world did he get that? "My date? What are you talking about?"

He looked wounded now, like she was trying to trick him. "The other day, at the morgue. I heard you talking to Lanie. I shouldn't have listened, I'm sorry."

He did what? Well, at least it was clear he didn't understand a word of it. How could he think she had a date with another guy? They had deal. She thought he understood her words that day at the swings. She'd make him understand. But until then, there was no reason for not having a little fun at his expense.

"Oh, yeah. That. I guess I'll have to cancel" She said trying to look disappointed.

"I'm sorry. It's all my fault." He did look sad now. Like he was really sorry. Her heart sank.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Castle. It was my fault. I was the one who had to give up. You really tried and I appreciate that." She could see the corners of his mouth go up a little but the smile never made it to his eyes.

"Thanks, but I feel responsible. I really need to make it up to you. Would you have dinner with me tomorrow night? I'll take you somewhere fancy so you can put on that dress you got for your date." Was that Castle blushing? Yes, it was.

"Are you serious?" She wanted to sound surprised but it came out the wrong way. She could tell by how his face fell.

"Yeah, you're right, you probably want to save that for, whatever his name is." Now he was a little mad at her.

"Castle. That didn't come out the way I meant it." She looked at him in the eyes to make him believe her. When she was sure he did, she said, "I'd love to have dinner with you. Thank you." And gave him a full-face smile that made his heart jump on his chest.

TBC.

**A/N: **Ok, I know I got a little carried away with this one. I'm still not very happy with it. I wanted to write this the best I could but things got in the way and I don't think I could I reach my goal. I don't know if this will work for you, but I think it's not so bad considering the circumstances.

Ok, ok. I know probably most of you were expecting C & B to win the bet but that would have been a little too easy, right? We have to make things a little bit more interesting. I still have some plans for them :P

I hope you enjoy and REVIEW! It's an order! (Nah! But, pretty please?) Thanks :)


	6. Date Night?

**A/N:**Hey, everyone! Again, super late on my updating, I'm sorry. I left a note on my profile but I don't even know if you guys check it, so, well, I didn't have much time to write. My grams at the Hospital and I have a job too, you know… lol. This has been CRAZY! My gram is better and coming home soon so I'm happy and writing again to finish this story before next year's Christmas comes. That's enough babbling, right? ENJOY!

* * *

><p><strong>DATE NIGHT?<strong>

After leaving Castle at his loft and getting to her apartment, Beckett had some time to think about what had happened that day and what was going to happen next. A dinner date with Castle. That one was not going to be like their regular visits to Remy's. This time they didn't have the excuse of a solved case to go out and spend some more time together. This time they were going out, just because they wanted to go out. Castle wanted to make her think he just wanted to make up to her for loosing the bet, but she knew his motives were much more selfish. He was jealous of an inexistent rival and he wanted to make sure she would choose him over anyone else. She couldn't blame him, could she? Serena Kane brought the worst out of her.

A fancy restaurant, he said. So she could wear her new, stunning dress for him. Not the way she had planned it but it would have to do. She had to play her cards right, make clear what she wanted, what she expected out of that night, because she really wanted it to work out fine. Maybe, if she managed to do this right, she could spend Christmas with him. A good change from years before, when she spent the day working and missing her mom like crazy.

Fingers crossed…

* * *

><p>Castle laid on his couch trying to think of a good place to take Kate on their… date? Yeah, he could call it that, right? They were going out together, they were having dinner and his intentions were not entirely disinterested. A perfectly regular date. He had been surprised she had said yes. Still was.<p>

When he was about to give up thinking about places and ask for some ideas to his mom, it hit him. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number without even looking at the keys.

"Yes, hi Louie? It's Rick Castle… Yes, a long time, I know… I wanted to ask you a little favor… Could you have the Rodgers Room ready for tomorrow night? … Mhmm… I see… Yes, that'd be perfect… I'll be there around noon to check on it, ok? … Yes, Mike, he'll be perfect. Thank you, man. I owe you big time. Bye!"

He hanged up the phone and smiled to himself knowing he had just found the perfect place.

* * *

><p>The day passed slowly, no case in hand, just paper work and dead time and a lot to talk about but no intentions to do it from any of them. They couldn't stop thinking about what was going to happen that night, none of them knowing about the other's plan. She wanted to bare her heart to him, let him know that she was trying, that she was putting all her will into it and that she heard him. He wanted to sweep her off her feet, make her feel so special and unique, that she would forget about any other male human being on earth.<p>

Castle had left by noon to check on his '_surprise_'. He had been out for an hour, putting as an excuse that he went to pick up something for lunch and he had found a huge line at their regular spot.

When the clock hit 5:00 pm both of them caught their coats and headed to the elevator in silence.

"What's wrong with those two?" Asked Ryan, who had been watching them all day and was extremely surprised by their behavior. No banter or any kind of conversation between them, just furtive glances and coffee cups.

"They're mourning, bro. They've just found out we're much better than them." Esposito answered with a funny grin on his face.

Ryan looked at him with an amused face and went back to his work.

The elevator arrived and dinged taking both partners out of their reveries. They got inside and leaned on the back wall, one beside the other.

"Hey, what time are you picking me up?" Kate asked, trying to break the awkward silence.

"How about 7:00? Is that Ok?" Rick asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, seven is perfect." She smiled at him.

The elevator made it to the lobby and they both got out of it stopping at the front door.

She looked at him and said, "Well, see you in a couple of hours, Castle." And left him there, watching her. She couldn't stop smiling like an idiot. She was too excited about this and, knowing it was just a couple of hours away, made her feel giddy.

* * *

><p>The time flew. She showered, got dressed and did her hair and make up and before she was aware of it, it was almost 7:00.<p>

She had put on her dress, that beautiful piece of clothing she had been cherishing like a treasure since she bought it over a month ago. The color was a bright sapphire blue; it highlighted her pale skin-tone and looked good on her. It accentuated her beautiful features. It was not something tight and shape showing. The skirt, on evasé, was long and vaporous and it had some embroidery on neck and waist. The halter neckline showed her shoulders and left her back bare. She had bought a gorgeous light grey pearl shawl and beautiful endless heels on the same color.

She put her hair up; leaving some curls down to frame her face. Her make up was subtle, as always, but a little more intense on the eyes. The final touch were something she barely used, a very fine white gold and pearls necklace with matching earrings. They had been her mom's and she never found the perfect chance to wear them. Today was the day. She also needed the extra strength they gave her.

She was giving the last touch to her make up when she heard something. Stopped what she was doing and listened. There it was again. Castle was knocking on her door. It was 6:58. She approached the door, took a deep breath and opened it. The face she got when he saw her was worth all the money and the subsequent guilt she had felt when she bought the dress she was wearing.

"Hey, Castle." She greeted him with a satisfied smirk. His face was amazing.

"Hi. Wow! You look… No words…" Was all he could say.

"Well, that's a lot coming from someone who lives of them. Thank you." She gave him a warm smile and then "Let me get my shawl and purse and we can go." She told him making him come in for a minute.

There were no words between them until they got to the street. When they came out the door of her building she saw a white limousine waiting for them.

She looked at him with an arched eyebrow and asked, "Really?"

He returned the look and said, "Couldn't stop myself…"

They got into the car and found two glasses of champagne waiting for them. He got the arched eyebrow again and said, "Hey, that wasn't me, I promise. Must be part of the service."

"Yes. Sure, Castle" She said, giving him her famous eye-roll mixed with a flirty smile.

* * *

><p>The ride to the restaurant was short and quiet. They drank their champagne and looked at each other, having one of those wordless conversations they used to have from time to time.<p>

The car stopped in a dark alley and the driver announced they were there. Castle got out of the car and rushed to open her door for her, giving her a hand to help her out of the car.

"A dark alley in the middle of the night… Will we eat a bowl of spaghetti sitting on a bin?" She gave him an amused grin.

"Very funny." He laughed. "Actually, I've planned something much better." He offered his arm for her to take it and said, "Please, let me guide you, oh, beautiful lady."

She took his arm and let him walk her through the door. A young waiter was waiting for them inside and led them through a corridor and some steps to a private dining room. There was a table in the middle of the room; a tall vase with three red roses was in the center of it. There were candles everywhere, which provided the only light in the place and soft music was playing in the background. The atmosphere was magical.

Kate's heart was beating fast because she knew he was putting all his hopes on this. He was giving his best to impress her and she certainly was impressed.

"Wow, Castle, this is beautiful!" She said, looking around, admiring the little room.

"Thank you. I'm really glad you like it" He looked so proud of himself. He knew he had done it right, and he was happy so see she appreciated his efforts. "Take a sit, please." He said pulling out a chair for her.

"Thank you." She said. Kate normally didn't like the old chivalry thing; it made her feel soft, weak, like a piece of meat that someone can impress by opening a door. But that night, it was Castle spoiling her and she could take that, in fact, she was loving it.

The young waiter, whose name was Mike, gave them the menu and left them alone while they took a look at it.

"This is much more romantic than I imagined a date with Richard Castle would be." Kate said without looking up from the menu.

"Oh, so you had imagined this? A date with me, I mean." He asked really intrigued.

"I've wondered about it, yes. I never thought you would pull out something like this. It's so… It's not the kind of thing you do with all those bimbos you used to hang out with…" She wanted to know this was something just for her.

"Bimbos?" He grinned. "I didn't date any of those women, they were just… Nothing." He looked ashamed. She didn't want him to feel that way.

"It's ok, Castle. I know you; I know you're not the way they say you are on newspapers and magazines." She knew he was much more than that. He was a sensitive, sweet, caring man but those paparazzi were engaged in making him look like a heartless womanizer."I'm sorry I said that… " She really was.

"It's ok." He said, smiling at her. "Let's order and then we can keep talking about my old awful taste on women."

"Old?" She laughed, arching her brow and giving him a playful look.

"Well, I think it's evident my taste's improved a lot. I'm here with you, right?" He looked at her in the eyes, letting her see all the things he couldn't say because he was scared she would run.

* * *

><p>They ate and talked and flirted and laughed… Kate was ecstatic. She knew he could be charming and sweet but he was also so freaking sexy and smooth-tongued he made her feel like a little girl who had a crush on her math teacher.<p>

When they had finished dinner he stood up and offered her his hand. "Would you dance with me?" He asked giving her his most charming smile.

She took his hand and let him guide her to a corner of the room, under a speaker so they could listen to the music. He put one of his hands on her waist and grabbed one of hers with the other, entwining their fingers and putting them in between their shoulders. "I didn't know you were a dancer, Mr. Castle." She said smiling to the crook of his neck.

"I'm full of surprises. But you did know, Kate. This is not the first time we dance." He said, kind of surprised she didn't remember that night on their first '_undercover __mission__'_.

"Oh, yeah. You're right." She said remembering. "What a night it was."

"Yes." He tightened his hand around her waist bringing her closer to him. "This one is better, though."

"Yeah." She leaned her head on his shoulder, breathing his scent. He smelled so good. "Much better."

"So," He cleared his throat. "Who's the mysterious man you were taking to the Ball? He asked trying to sound casual and failing miserably.

She was surprised by the question. Ok, she thought. Time to put things on their proper place. "Oh, that." She stopped dancing and moved to look him in the eyes. "I think there was a little misunderstanding there, Castle."

He gave her a confused look. "A misunderstanding? How so?"

"Well, the guy I was talking Lanie about? The one I bought this dress for…" She had to inhale deeply to let it out. "It was you, Castle. Rick."

He grabbed her by her shoulders and pushed her away so he could look at her better, examining her face to see if she was messing with him. "What?" he just said, stunned that she had used his first name on a '_not __mad__ at __him_' tone.

"You were my mysterious date, Rick. I wanted to go to the Ball because I had something to do. I wanted you to be there because I had something to tell you. I _have_ something to tell you." Her heart was racing. This was it. The time had come, but there was something she needed him to do first. "Rick?"

"Yes?" He couldn't take his eyes from hers. He wondered what was what she had to tell him. He wanted to know so desperately.

"I know what I want as a payment for going to the carnival with you." She simply said.

"That was what you wanted to tell me?" He asked, looking at her with his left eyebrow reaching his hairline.

She laughed. "No. That comes later. I just need my payment now."

"Ok, shoot. Just don't ask me to shave my head. I'm not a good view without hair…"

"Don't worry. I'd never ask you to do that. I love your hair." She grinned at him and he gave her a surprised smile. "What I want is…" She blushed a little and tried to hide it laying her head on his shoulder again. "I want you to kiss me, Rick."

He moved one of his hands to caress her head, snagging his fingers on her hair and pulling her head up and away from the crook of his neck. He untangled his fingers off her hair and moved his hand to cup her cheek, brushing it a little with his thumb. His other hand reached the other side of her face mimicking its twin's movements, tilting her head so he could look into her eyes. " Just so you know, I've never been happier to pay a debt." He said, before moving closer to her and brushing his lips to hers softly.

TBC.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So, that's it for now. I'm kind of happy and annoyed with this chapter. I like it but I still have a lot to say, so I'll keep going from right there on next chapter. I'm sorry I'm not having a lot of time to write. Thank God, my gram will be released from hospital tomorrow, which means I'll have more time to spend hitting the keys like crazy to make it up to you.

I hope you guys keep enjoying this. **Please**** review**, comment anything you want. I'm good with critics so, just say what you think. That's how we get to learn, right? Let me know your deepest thoughts and share what you're expecting from this story. THANKS!


	7. Making Up To RC

**A/N:** Hello everyone! Merry Christmas! I hope you're all having happy holidays and are enjoying the time with your families and friends. I've been really busy these days. I have a lot of family visiting and my grandma is still a little weak, so I have to take care of her and care for my visits and I don't have much time to write.

WARNING: The F word makes it's appearance on this one. Just once and it was needed so, well, sue me :P

I'm really sorry I've had you waiting for so long. My plan was to have this finished before Christmas but I guess I'm a 'little' out of my deadline… Anyway, this is the last chapter but I already have an epilogue planed which I hope I'll be able to post tomorrow. And after this loooong note I'll let you read the chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>MAKING UP TO R.C.<strong>

"What I want is…" She blushed a little and tried to hide it laying her head on his shoulder again. "I want you to kiss me, Rick."

He moved one of his hands to caress her head, snagging his fingers on her hair and pulling her head up and away from the crook of his neck. He untangled his fingers off her hair and moved his hand to cup her cheek, brushing it a little with his thumb. His other hand reached the other side of her face mimicking its twin's movements, tilting her head so he could look into her eyes. " Just so you know, I've never been happier to pay a debt." He said, before moving closer to her and brushing his lips to hers softly.

It was the softest kiss ever and yet, she felt her legs become jello. She had to wrap her arms around his neck to support herself, which helped to bring him closer and deepen the kiss. His tongue found the way inside her mouth and she couldn't fight letting out a soft moan. He felt so good on her lips.

After long minutes he pulled away and looked her in the eyes. He was happy and surprised and confused, all mixed up with arousal and hope.

"Well, I think I've paid my debt. Always glad to make business with you, detective." He said a little out of air.

"Hmmm. It's been good but I don't think that's enough payment. I need more. You can do it much better, writer-boy." She told him, with her most mischievous look.

He gave her a grin and talked. "You need more? It was just a little carnival, Kate. I can't believe you're this greedy. I ask for a little favor and now you're trying to get back more than you should… tsk tsk tsk." He tried to look offended.

"Oh, so I understand you don't want to pay properly?" She was enjoying their little banter.

"I already paid. You said you wanted a kiss and I gave it to you." He looked at her serious and expectant.

"I said I wanted you to kiss me, Ricky. I never said how many times…" She looked at him through her eyelashes giving him a naughty smile.

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist again. "I've always been a good payer. I can't let you smear my good name, can I?" he said leaning down and kissing her more forcefully this time.

She let herself go and deepened the kiss holding him as closer as she could. They were moving to the music as they kissed and his hands started to move along her sides and back. One of his hands got tangled on the little strands of hair she had left down on her nape, massaging her skull and angling her head to give him better access.

She was the one to break the kiss this time, trying to get some air on her lungs. She leaned her head on his shoulder and hugged him.

"I think I should tell you what I have to tell you now, before things go out of control." She said, fighting with the fear reflecting on her face.

"Ok. Just relax, Kate. You look worried." He said, sounding very concerned.

"I am, Rick. What I have to tell you is probably going to hurt you, but I have to do it. If I want this to work for us, I need to do it." She paused trying to find the words. "Just promise me you're not going to hate me."

He looked at her with his loving eyes "I could never hate you, Kate. Ever." He reached for one of her hands and entwined their fingers, moving it to his lips to kiss the back of it. "Just say it."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Ok." Another deep breath. "The day I was shot, when I was lying on the ground…" She paused, trying to regain some strength. "I heard you, Rick. I heard you say 'I love you'." She couldn't open her eyes. She couldn't face his gaze right now.

"You heard me?" He felt his heart tear into pieces. "You lied to me. You lied to me and then you pushed me away?" He couldn't believe it. He had always suspected she had heard him, but he also had been hoping it to be just that, a suspicion.

"I'm so sorry, Rick! I just didn't know what to do back then. I was scared and hurt and I didn't feel strong enough to face something that big." Her eyes were filling with tears. "I knew I wasn't doing the right thing but, after I told you I didn't remember, I didn't know how to go back."

He realized he was still embracing her and moved his arms off her. "I can't believe you did that, Kate. All I wanted was to be there for you. You knew how I felt and yet you pushed me away. How could you?"

Her heart had fallen to her feet when he let go of her, but she hadn't moved from his chest, her head lying on his shoulder, her face hidden from him. "I don't know. I never meant to hurt you, Rick. Now I understand how you felt. Now I know I shouldn't have done that. I should have let you in. I should have shattered that stupid wall for you and let you inside, because I needed you, I really did, Rick. I still do." She was crying now.

His heart was aching so bad. He couldn't stand her crying, he didn't want to be the one making her cry, but he was hurting too. "You should have thought it first, Kate. You can not pretend that I stay here waiting willingly until you think I'm worthy of your… Whatever. Now that you think it's safe, now I have to be ok with you lying to me and hurting me? Do you have any idea of how it was when you left? I know you were strugling with your life but so was I, Kate. You were gone and I didn't know how to go on. I had lost all hope of ever seeing you again." He pulled her from his shoulder and looked her in the eyes. "I need to go. I need to think about this and calm down." And he walked out and left her there.

She couldn't believe he had left. She was crying violently now trying to keep panic away but failing. Rick, the man who said he loved her, had left her there alone, on their very first date. He had the right to be mad at her, she couldn't blame him, but she never thought he would run and leave her there.

She put on her shawl and walked out the restaurant through the same corridor they had walked in a couple of hours ago. When she reached the door, she saw the white limo waiting for her outside. That was so Castle. He wouldn't dump her like that. The chauffeur opened the door for her and handed her a note.

"Thank you." She said to the man. She opened the folded paper and read:

'_I'm sorry I left like this, Kate. I just need some time to think about what's happened. We will talk about this._

_P.S.: I DO, Kate. I really DO. Just gime me time. _

_R.C.'_

She clenched the note against her chest and tried to hold the tears forming in her eyes. She gave an address to the chauffeur and leaned against the seat, closing her eyes and breathing deeply, trying to calm down a little.

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later the car was pulling over at her best friend's apartment. She got down of the limo and dialed Lanie's number.<p>

"Please, Kate. Tell me you didn't do it." Lanie said when she answered the phone.

"I did it. He left, Lanie. Gosh, I fucked it up! I'm here. Do you mind if I come up?" Kate asked.

"Sure, girl! You don't have to ask." Lanie hung up the phone and moved to open the door for her friend.

Kate walked on auto-pilot, not paying attention to any of her moves, reaching Lanie's door by inertia.

"Hey! You look like hell, girl." Lanie greeted her.

Kate looked at her with a sad smile. "Yeah, I can imagine."

Lanie pulled her inside by her arm and walked her to her couch handing her a glass of vodka.

"And now you want to get me drunk? Said Kate rising her eyebrow and giving her a curios look.

"Well, from my experience, these things are easier when you have a distorted view of reality." Lanie tried to smile but her friend looked devastated.

Kate looked at her "Ok, I guess it won't hurt." And drank the vodka on a single gulp.

"Wow, easy, Wonder Woman. Do you want to creep your way back home?" Lanie took the glass from her and made a little sign to make her talk.

"I ruined it. I had to tell him, Lane. I couldn't keep lying to him." She closed her eyes and breathed trying to collect her thoughts and tell her friend the story from the very begining. "Everything was going just perfect. He took me to this restaurant, 'Chez Louie', he knows the chef. The place is amazing. Louie's mother was Martha's friend and he really admired her. She used to go there with her dates all the time when he opened, so he named his private dining room after her. It's a little room with just one table and it's own waiter. It was beautifully decorated, hundreds of tiny candles everywhere lighting the room. Roses on he table, music… So romantic." Lanie was handing her a glass of water now and she took it. "Dinner was delicious and he was too. We talked and laughed and flirted all the time. After dinner he asked me to dance and while we were dancing I told him that I wanted him to pay back the favor I did him. I asked him to kiss me." Kate blushed furiously and Lanie gave her a knowing look. "I needed to know. I needed to feel it again, cause it could be the last time and… well… I wasn't that wrong." She didn't know how to go on.

"So he kissed you and you told him? How?" Lanie asked, trying to encourage her to talk.

"I just told him that I heard him. That I knew I did wrong but I wanted to do things right now. He said he couldn't believe I did that, he was so hurt… and then…" Tears reached her eyes again. "He just left." She covered her face with her hands. "He left me there, Lanie. You should have seen his face."

"Well, you should have expected this to happen, Kate. You've been hiding this from him for 8 months." Lanie wanted to comfort her but she couldn't lie to her.

"I know. I thought he would be mad at me, that we would have a fight or something but he left. When I got out of the restaurant the limo was waiting for me-"

"The limo? Wow! The man has stile."Lanie jocked.

"Yeah, I know. Anyway, he had left me a note." She handed the paper to Lanie, who read it very quickly.

"So he needs time. Give it to him. He's done that for you."

"I know. I want to, but… It's been very hard coming to terms with myself, Lane. I don't want to back down and if I have too much time to think about it, I now I will." Kate looked at her friend with a worried look.

Lanie was thinking. "Maybe you could give him time but remind him you're waiting at the same time. You could use the '_forgive Castle_' game. It worked wonders with you."

"The '_forgive Castle_' game?" Kate furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yes, the gifts, the notes, all that paraphernalia he used to make you forgive him for making that stupid bet. That's what Javi called it."

"Oh. How would that help me?" She asked a little confused.

"Use his powers against him, girl. Do the same. He'll get it. It's Castle." Lanie wincked at her.

Kate was pondering it. "You really think that could work? I mean, this is not a stupid bet, Lanie. This is serious. I really hurt him." She wasn't that sure that a couple of silly gifts and notes would make him forgive her.

"Just try it! You have nothing to loose, have you? He's told you, Kate. He loves you. He won't be mad forever."

* * *

><p>Kate got home a little after midnight. She was a mess, her make up was ruined from crying, her hair had fallen down – Castle had been pulling on it while he kissed her – and her feet hurt like hell. She thought about five hours ago, when she opened that same door to Castle. His amazed look when he saw her, the way his eyes had roamed along her body, how he couldn't say anything. She had thought then, that this would be a wonderful night. She had been so wrong.<p>

She got rid of her clothing and got into bed trying to forget about the kisses they had shared that night. She could still feel him of her lips. His taste on her tongue, reminding her what she was missing.

She started thinking about what Lanie said. Maybe it was not such a bad idea. Even if he didn't forgive her right away and he needed more time, she could make him feel a little better. Her mind tried to find out what could she give Rick Castle that he didn't already have.

* * *

><p>The morning of December 22nd, Alexis Castle, opened the door to a very rushed delivery boy, handing her a little package addressed to her dad. She signed the paper and left the package on the kitchen bar for her father to see it and she left for school.<p>

When Rick got up from his sleepless night he saw the package lying on the bar. He noticed the hand-writing. It was from her. His heart ached at the thought of Beckett. He had spent most of the night hitting the keys of his laptop, trying to type his anger and frustration away. He was mad at her, he was disappointed and sad and somehow a little proud that she had the courage to tell him.

He reached for the package and opened it. He found a little silver bell, a tree ornament. There was a note too:

'_Ring the bell when you're ready to come back. I promise I'll be waiting._

_I'm going to miss you._

_K.B_.'

Wow, he would have never expected something like that from her. That was a lot, coming from Kate Beckett. Too much. He needed some time to think. He loved her, that was not to be discussed, but he needed time to think about what she had done, to understand why she had done it. As a writer, he was an expert putting himself on someone else's shoes, but with Kate it was hard. She really was an enigma.

He took the bell and hung it on his tree, giving it a little shake and making it ring. It was a cute gift.

The day felt like a month to Kate. She had sent the bell to Rick. A little silver bell that had been hanging on her Christmas tree for over a decade. It was one of the last ornaments she had bought before her mother's death.

She hadn't got any a phone call or even an email. Not even a text. Nothing. She didn't know what to think. Maybe he hated it. Maybe he thought she was pushing.

She left the precinct a little after 9 pm and shen she was walking out of the elevator at the lobby, her phone chimed in. It was a text from Castle:

'_Thank you. It's pretty_.' And that was all. It had taken him twelve hours to write her four words, a dot and an apostrophe. At least it was something.

* * *

><p>Next day –almost- she sent him a picture of her new crime scene. The body was lying on a weird way and Espo and Ryan were talking to Lanie on the background. She added a text:<p>

'_The three musketeers can't give me any crazy theories. Any suggestions?_'

It was 4:57 am. When Rick got it he almost laughed. He wrote back:

'_Thanks for waking me up… It's too early for crazy theories. Maybe I'll come up with something after I sleep on it.' _

She was very disappointed with that response but she knew he was not helpful when he didn't have his sleep. Anyway, she had something more for him.

* * *

><p>When the day had reached a more decent hour he got her next gift. It came on a rectangular box, he opened it. He was really surprised to find what was on it and reached for the white folded paper lying on top and read:<p>

'_I want you to keep it until I can wear it for you again.'_

He touched the blue fabric, thinking about how beautiful she was on it. How wonderfully adorable and hot she was that night. He smiled and took his phone out to send her a text:

'_I'll keep it like a treasure. It still smells like you.' _

He got a response almots inmediatly:

'_Will you keep it hostage for long? I really love that dress._'

He wrote back:

'_You of all people should know I've never been good with the hostage thing. Don't worry, you'll have it back soon.' _

* * *

><p>It was Christmas Eve. She had to work that day because they had lost a bet and she had to do it alone, because she had lost her partner for being a coward eight months ago. The worst thing was having to explain Gates why her annoying partner was MIA lately. She had to make up a story about his daughter being sick and him having to take care of her personally. Everybody knew Castle was a concerned father, it wasn't that hard to believe he would leave his research to take care of his daughter. Gates was a little suspicious but she let it go.<p>

The day was crazy, Espo and Ryan only were there for the morning and she had a case going on and no clues.

After everyone had left and having had like a million coffees to clear her mind she remembered she hadn't sent her gift to Castle that day.

She took the smallest of the elephants she had on her desk and put it on a little box with another note. She called a messeger and got it delivered to Castle's loft.

* * *

><p>Rick was trying to fight his desire of getting dressed and make a casual visit to the precinct. He knew she would be there on her own, the Ball had already started and she had to be there for at least a couple more hours. Then someone knocked on his door. He went to open it and found a messenger holding a little box for him.<p>

He got inside with the box and sat on the couch to open it. He smiled when he saw the little piece of ceramic. He took it out and held it onto his hand. There was a note too and he read it:

'_I know you've always liked these. My little friend is part of a full set so this is just another reason for you to come back and put it right where it belongs.'_

He was touched. She really wanted to see him and that was kind of new. She had never been that expresive of her wants and her feelings. He knew doing this had to be really hard for her.

That little elephant did it. He got up of the couch and went to his bedroom. He put the little piece on his bedside table and walked to the bathroom to take a shower. He was going to see her. He had to tell her he couldn't be away from her any longer. He wanted to kiss her again, have her on his arms forever.

* * *

><p>Things had gotten a little busy before he could leave. Alexis got home with a terrible anger. She had gone to a Christmas Eve party and had a fight with her friend Page and she was crying and talking very fast and he coulnd't left her like that.<p>

When the girl was feeling a little better he told her he had to go out for a while. He would be at the precinct if she needed anything. He wouldn't be out for long.

* * *

><p>It was a little before 10 pm when Kate left the precinct. She hadn't got any response from Castle after she sent him the elephant. That was weird. She knew she shouldn't but she wanted to go to his loft and see if he had gotten it. She needed to see him.<p>

She got to her car and drove to his place. A possible Christmas Eve dinner with his family crossed her mind, but she remembered he told her that his mom and Alexis were both attending Christmas parties and he would be alone so there was not a problem for him to work that night.

She pulled over at his front door and got out of her car. His doorman said hello to her and she started feeling very nervous when the elevator started it's way up. She knocked on the door and waited.

"Detective Beckett."Said a very surprised Alexis. "What are you doing here?"

"I um… I wanted to see you dad, Alexis. Is he home?" Kate asked a little confused by the surprise on the girl's face. She visited a lot lately.

"No, he's not here. In fact he left a while ago, He said he was going to the precinct. I guess you left before he got there." Alexis smiled at her with those gorgeous Castle eyes.

"Oh, I see. Well, I guess it won't be long until he gets back. Do you mind if I wait for him here?" Kate asked a little relieved.

"Sure, make yourself at home." Alexis waved her arm to make her come in. "I was watching a movie. Do you want to join me?"

Kate smiled and took of her coat."Thanks, I'd love to."

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><p>Castle got to the precinct to find Beckett gone. He was very disappointed. He really wanted to see her so he decided to go to her apartment. It took him 20 minutes to get there to find it empty too. He was starting to worry. He tought that maybe Gates had grown a heart for Christmas and had let her go to the Ball anyway, so he went to the Wellington Pavilion to see if she was there. Nothing, she had vanished. He tried to reach her phone but it was turned off and it sent him to voice mail all the time. It seemed he wouldn't be able to see her that night. He accepted defeat and headed home.<p>

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><p>It was way after midnight when Rick got home. Kate was lying on the carpeted floor, asleep and holding a couch pillow under her head. The movie Alexis and her had been watching had ended a while ago. She had fallen asleep and the girl didn't want to disturb her, so she covered her with a blanket and left her there. She didn't hear the door closing and the footsteps coming closer to her. She didn't realize someone was watching her from the couch with a tender smile on is face.<p>

Rick extended his hand to reach her face, he brushed his thumb along her jawline and she blinked. He watched her as she came back to life.

"Hey." She said. She looked embarrased and sleepy and amazingly beautiful.

"Hey." He said back. He smiled, staring at her like he hadn't seen her before.

Her brows furrowed a little and she asked "What are you looking at?"

He gave her a funny grin. "Nothing, I'm just admiring what Santa left for me under the tree. It's just what I wanted."

She turned her head to look behind her, realizing she had been sleeping right by the Christmas tree. She smiled at him and got up to her knees. She moved her hands to hold his and was a little surprised when he pulled her to a crushing hug.

"I missed you." He said. "I shaked that bell the moment I got it. Your dress in resting on my bed for you to wear it right now if you want and I left your elephant on it's place a couple of hours ago. I won't leave again. Ever. You're stuck with me, Katherine Beckett."

"Good. Because I want you here." She said before pressing her lips to his on a sweet and longing kiss.

The morning arrived and Alexis came down to wake up her dad for their Christmas morning ritual. When she got to the living room she couldn't repress a grin. Under the tree she found the best present of all. Kate Beckett and her dad wrapped up on a blanket, holding onto each other, both asleep with a happy smile on their faces.

THE END.

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><p><strong>AN: **I don't know about this chapter. Too much sugar on my sistem and I had to let it out somehow. Please let me know if this is too cheesy.

There is an epilogue to this story. I hope I can post it tomorrow, but I can't promise anything.

I'm sorry if my grammar or whatever is affected. It's almost 6 am and I couldn't sleep so I used my insomnia for something useful. I don't know if it turned out right or if it's going to blow in my face.

**Please review, tell me what you like, what you don't, what you think I could do better, what ever crosses your mind will be fine with me :)**


	8. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

December 2012.

The two weeks before Christmas were always busy at the Castle household, but they had become a little less stressing since they had a new occupant, which meant an extra pair of hands helping with shopping, decorations, cooking, etc.

Kate Beckett had moved in with the Castles three months before Christmas, after 9 wonderful months of going back and forth between her apartment and his. If you asked Martha or Alexis, they would say she had been living there from the begining. She didn't sleep at her place, Rick's bed was much better than hers and his place was closer to the precinct, which was very convenient when they got '_distracted_' in the mornings. She only visited her place to go pick up stuff she needed, clothes, toiletries, books, whatever she couldn't find at his place. After a few months trying to convince her, Rick gave her an ultimatum. She was moving in with him already or he was moving in with her. A week later she was officially living with him.

She was really excited about this Christmas. They were going to celebrate their first year together as a couple and that was like a miracle to her. She never thought they would make it this far and yet, it had been so easy. They fought a lot, most times because she forgot she was not on her own anymore, but he always made his best to remind her.

They were decorating the loft a little earlier this year because they wanted to celebrate 'their' Christmas party before the 20th, when Jenny Ryan was due to give birth to hers and Kevin's first child.

They put tinsel and garlands everywhere, some holly by the chimney and mistletoe hanging in the middle of the open space that formed the kitchen and living room. Rick had made clear where he wanted it to be. Somewhere they would be passing by all the time, so he could have the perfect excuse to kiss her. As if he needed one.

When they were done with the room decorations they started with the tree. Rick had chosen a huge pine-tree that stood tall and magnificent near the window. Alexis started roaming through the boxes of lights, baubles and handmade decorations they owned and found something and gave it to her dad. Rick looked at it with a nostalgic smile and then showed it to Kate. It was an old, little, silver bell.

"Hey! You kept it." Kate stretched out her arm to take it from him.

"Of course I did. I loved the dress and the elephant but _this_ _–_ he said shaking the bell - was my favorite."He gave her a shinny smile before handing it to her.

"It was my favorite too. I bought this with my mom the last christmas we spent together. It's presided my tree since then." She took it and shoke it too.

"Hang it. It belongs here now." He put a hand on the small of her back to make her walk towards the tree.

She hung the little bell and watched it shine in the afternoon light. Thoughts of a happy Johanna Beckett hanging that same bell on their tree 13 years ago crossed her mind. She missed her so much.

Rick put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. He knew how she worked, he knew what she was thinking about and he knew how to make it better.

"Come on, sweetheart. Help me untangle the lights?" He gave her a pouting face. "Please?"

"Ok, but I have to do something first." She turned and kissed him before leaving to their bedroom.

When she got there she reached for a very unique piece of forniture. It was an antique and had been at her father's house since she was a teen. She bought it on a flea market and restored it herself, with some help from her mom. She opened the middle drawer to find a white cardboard box, took it out and walked back to the living room.

When she got there she handed the box to Castle. "Here. Open it" She said.

"We're decorating, Kate. It's not time for presents yet."He told her with a sweet smile.

"I know. Just open it." She looked at him in the eyes and smiled too. "Come on."

He took the box and moved to sit on the couch. She followed him.

He opened the box and found a couple of notes with his handwriting, a little Christmas card with a tree on it, a little green ribbon, a pink celophane bag, a pair of plastic handcuffs, a stuffed tiger and a beautiful snowball.

"This… It's all in here. Even these!" He said picking up the plastic handcuffs with his index finger.

"Yeah."She laughed. "Well, I ate the cookies and the candy canes…" She looked at him her smile fading just a little bit ,trying to sound more serious. "Every one of those gifts meant the world to me, Rick. I loved all of them."

He was looking at all the gifts he gave her a year ago, trying to make her forgive him. His eyes fell on the snowball. He took it and showed it to her, shaking it to make the snow fall.

"This one has a story. Wanna hear it?" He asked rising his brows.

"Of course." She snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder and putting his arm around her. "Tell me."

"When I was thinking about what could I give you each day to apologize I got a little stucked, so I asked my mom. She was holding this snowball in her hands. It's been in my family for decades and she always put it on the chinmey bar on Christmas, it's a tradition. When I told her what had happened she handed it to me and…

"_Give this to her, Richard." Martha handed the beautiful snowball to her son._

_Rick looked at her between surprise and adoration. "I can't take that, mother. It's your family treasure. You love that snowball."_

"_I do, that's true, but you need it, kiddo. This is a very beautiful way to say 'I'm sorry'. It's the perfect way." Martha put the snowball on the kitchen bar and moved it towards Rick._

"_Mother, I won't give that to her. It's too much and it's yours." He moved the snowball towards his mother again._

"_Darling, if I know you two well, and my gut tells me I do, that snowball won't be far from home for too long. Give it to her, Richard." And she moved the ball again towards her son and walked away._

…And that's it. Mother was right, it's home for Christmas again."

Kate was looking at him with a wide smile on her face. "So I have to thank your mother for this, not you." She said on a playful tone.

"Let's say it was some kind of 'team work'." He laughed.

She took the snowball from his hands, stood up and walked to the chinmey, putting the snowball on the middle of the bar.

"Now it's back where it belongs." She said, feeling his arms encircling her waist and his head lying on her shoulder.

They moved back to the tree where Alexis had started hanging decorations. Castle busied himself on untangling the lights and Kate and the girl started singing Chirstmas carols while hanging colorful baubles here and there.

After a good while, the tree was done. It looked beautiful, expensive and hand-made decorations mixed on a gorgeous composition. Kate's bell was in the middle of it, together with one of Alexis' first hand-made decorations.

Rick walked away and came back with something on his hand. He moved towards the tree and hung it there, right beside the bell and Alexis' master piece. When Kate looked at it she saw the pair of plastic cuffs hanging there.

"It's a new tradition, now that we have a cop in the family." He chuckled.

Kate's eyes were bright and she smiled back at him. He put his arm around her shoulders and said "Merry Christmas, baby."

"Don't you baby me, Writer-boy!" She said, pocking him on the ribs.

He had to bend to protect his side from her elbow. "Ouch, ok, ok! I can't never win with you, can I?"

"You know you can't." She laughed. She turned and hugged him placing a kiss on his neck, right under his ear. "I love you" She wispered.

"I love you too… baby." He wispered back. Moving fast away from her, trying to avoid another poke. She chased after him.

_**-The End-**_

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><p><strong>AN**: Well, this is it, people. I hope you have all enjoyed the ride. I sure have. Despite the bad things that happened while I was writing this, I've had a great time doing it and I'm really happy that you have been there reading and posting reviews and adding this to your alerts and favorites. Thank you!

I have more stories in mind but they'll have to wait for a while, at least until my family leaves after the holidays, here they last until Jan. 6th.

Please **keep reviewing**! I love knowing what you guys think.


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